Whilst on holiday, me and my fiancee were out for a stroll in the late evening. We were walking in a quiet residential area where peoples' villas are surrounded by walls and a gate. We were having a nice chat when all of a sudden a dog on the opposite side of a gate barked furiously making us both jump. I immediately got into a kind of half stance with my hands in position for a fraction of a second until I realised it was just a dog and there was no threat.

Is the fact that I jumped, a signal that I am not fully aware of my surroundings?

I'm asking for peoples opinions on if you can reach a state of awareness where such instances would not make you jump but you would still be aware and prepared to react efficiently to a potential situation. Is being jumpy a signal that you're ready to react or that you aren't aware?

Quote:a dog on the opposite side of a gate barked furiously making us both jump. Is the fact that I jumped, a signal that I am not fully aware of my surroundings? I'm asking...if you can reach a state of awareness where such instances would not make you jump...Is being jumpy a signal that you're ready to react or that you aren't aware?

What if the fence hadn't been there? Or if the dog had jumped it?

I'd say what you described shows that your nervous system has not been screwed up by your training. You're still connected to your natural responses and, had the dog cleared the fence, you were ready to do something more.

That's very good. If your aiki technique can flow from your natural reaction, you have the makings of a master.

Just think about war: who is killed more? Trained soldiers or untrained civilians? I think you'll find that the untrained people survive more, on the whole, while most of the fatalities are trained soldiers.

Even if that is incorrect, natural reactions have gotten humanity down through the centuries. Most people survived a significant time without training and passed on their genes (and reactions) to their children. So don't let anyone tell you you need to replace your natural reactions with "second nature" reactions. Learn to base the techniques you learn on your "natural" reactions and you will do well.